MITCHELL – A six-run first inning spelled disaster in a first-round game of the South Dakota Class B amateur state baseball tournament for the Aurora Aces, making their first appearance as the red, black, and white Aces and their first appearance since 2010 when they went by the A’s with black, yellow, and white as team colors.
Platte starter Brady Nolz made quick work of Aurora in the top of the first inning, needing just nine pitches to bring the Killer Tomatoes’ bats to the plate.
Sheldon Gant led off the bottom of the first inning with a single for Platte but was retired on a fielder’s choice. Hunter Hewitt and Grant Doom both walked before Hayden Kuiper cleared the bases with a triple to give Platte a 3-0 lead.
Another walk to Ryan Allen put runners on the corners for Derek Soukup whose double scored two and gave the Killer Tomatoes a 5-0 lead.
Kris Menning then singled and an error in the outfield allowed Soukup to score, upping the lead for Platte to 6-0 and spelling the end for starter Cameron May who was replaced by 22-year amateur veteran Curtis Anderson who promptly induced a fly ball and picked off Menning at second to end the inning.
It remained 6-0 until the bottom of the third inning. Kuiper was hit by a pitch but forced out on a fielder’s choice. Soukup then singled, moving Allen to third. Platte then executed a double steal that allowed Allen to score on a steal of home before Menning lined into a double play to end the inning with Platte holding a 7-0 lead.
Aurora got on the board in the fifth inning. Justin Cassels led off the inning with an infield single and moved to third when Justin Behrend reached on an error. A walk to Gabe Bagstad loaded the bases for Trey Tiefenthaler. Tiefenthaler ripped a double to left that scored Cassels and Behrend to cut the lead to 7-2. John Koenig made it 7-3 with a two-out single that scored Tiefenthaler before Platte recorded the third out of the inning.
Platte responded with three runs in home half of the fifth inning. With one out Kuiper singled and Allen reached on an error, then Anderson got Soukup to fly out for the second out. However, the Aces could not get the third out before allowing the Killer Tomatoes to score as Menning singled to score one, then Michael Buitenbos’ base hit scored two, increase the lead for Platte to 10-3.
Platte made it 11-3 in the sixth, taking advantage of a leadoff error that put Richard Sternberg on third. Sternberg would score two batters later on a ground out.
The Aces added a run in the top of the seventh inning. Tiefenthaler singled to open the inning, as did Tanner Neilson which moved the hustling Tiefenthaler to third. Koenig then delivered a sacrifice fly to score Tiefenthaler to make it 11-4, but Aurora would leave the bases loaded.
The score remained 11-4 until the bottom of the eighth inning. Colton Wendland relieved Anderson and was promptly greeted with a double off the bat of Hewitt. Doom then reached on a dropped fly ball in the outfield to score Hewitt and make it 12-4, then Kuiper doubled to move Doom to third.
The Aces brought in Eli Mork who issued an intentional walk to Allen, setting up a force at any base, but back-to-back singles by Soukup and Menning scored Doom and Kuiper, ending the game by 10-run rule at 14-4.
Tiefenthaler had two hits including Aurora’s only extra-base hit, and also had two runs batted in.
Koenig added two RBI with his fifth-inning single.
Soukup had four hits including two doubles for Platte, driving in three runs. Menning and Kuiper both had three hits and multiple RBI, while Buitenbos added two hits as well.
May recorded just one out before being removed from the game and received the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits and three walks.
Anderson logged six and two-third innings, scattering six hits and allowing five runs of which just one was earned. He walked three and struck out four.
Wendland (two hits, two earned runs) and Mork (two hits) pitched in the eighth inning but neither was able to record an out.
Nolz earned the win with a complete-game effort, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking one, and striking out four.
Platte (14-6) on Monday, Aug. 8 at 5:30 p.m. will play the Alexandria Angels who manhandled the Wessington Springs Owls, 17-2, in six innings.
Aurora finishes the year with a record of 5-9.
• Milbank 8, Akron (Iowa) 4
Dominique Boerger continued his dominance on the mound with 20 strikeouts as the Milbank Firechiefs moved to the second round with an 8-4 win over the Akron, Iowa Rebels.
Milbank finished with 16 hits; Lance Frogner was 4-for-5 with three runs batted in. Taylor Boegner, Jacob Jackson, Travis Lester, and Kaden Krause all had multiple hits as well.
Akron’s Jared Kirkeby took the loss on the mound after allowing 10 hits in five innings, giving up four runs of which just one was earned.
Eight of the nine batters in the Rebels’ starting lineup had at least one hit.
Milbank advances to the second round where they will play Mount Vernon on Aug. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
• Mount Vernon 10, Redfield Dairy Queen 0
The Mustangs delivered 13 hits en route to a 10-0 win in seven innings in the opening round of the South Dakota Class “B” Amateur Baseball state tournament on Thursday in Mitchell.
Chase Hetland, Briggs Havlik, Brady Albrecht, and Koby Larson all had two hits for the Mustangs with Hetland driving in three runs.
Bradley Dean pitched the first four innings and picked up the win in the game shortened by run rule. He gave up just three hits while walking three and striking out three.
Kole DeSpiegler had two of the five hits for Redfield.
